Harvester



Sept; 24, 1935. .w A. B. WELTY 7 2,015,575

' HABVESTER Filed June 29, 19.54 2 Sheet s-Sheet 1 A. B. WELTY Sept. 24,1935 HARVESTER Filed June 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill/67%? erifi ZZf:25 connected to the discharge end thereof.

.45 and binding tendencies.

Patented Sept. 24, 1935 PATENT OFFICE HARVESTER Albert B. Welty, Moline,Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of NewJersey Application June 29, 1934, Serial No. 733,003

17 Claims.

The invention relates to harvesters. More particularly it has to do withcertain improvements in harvester threshers, such for example as theprovision of a novel lifting means for raising and 55 lowering theharvester platform; and an improved structure for associating the saidplatform and the elevator that elevates the out grain from the platforminto the thresher feed house in advance of the separator.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustingmeans for raising and lowering the platform.

Another object is to provide an improved means for operativelyassociating the discharge end of 5 the platform with the elevator.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in this art as thedisclosure is more fully made.

These desirable objects are attained by the example of the inventionherein selected for the purposes of disclosure in which the harvesterthresher embodies the usual thresher to which is removably andadjustably connected a harvester platform including an elevatorpivotally This elevator discharges the cut grain into a feeder house inadvance of the thresher, there being an operators station on said feedhouse including a tiller wheel that operates a substantially verti- ;30cally disposed rack. Said rack has its lower end connected in a novelway to the elevator, so that in this construction it is the elevatorthat is raised and lowered, the platform, of course, moving with it. Theconnection of the rack bar to 135 the elevator includes a cushion tominimize shock and vibration.

The elevator has its discharge, or upper end, slidably guided andconnected to appropriate rails adjacent the feeder house opening and, topre- .40 vent the elevator from cramping and binding in its up and downmovement during adjustments of the platform, a novel counterbalancespring arrangement is connected between the elevator and platform torelieve such cramping A sliding gate or shield is also provided betweenthe elevator and platform to keep the space between the rear side of theelevator and platform backboard closed, as the elevator and platform,because of their hinged 50 connection, move relatively to one another.

:55 vent loss of grain.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Figure .1 is a general side elevational View of a fragment of theharvester thresher, looking from the harvester side, to show theimproved harvester adjusting means, the outer end of the plat- 5 formbeing cut off;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational View showing a cross section through thefeed house and the harvester minus its axle support;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational detail 1 View showing thecushioned connection of the lower end of the lift rack to the elevator;

Figure 4 is a detail plan view of the guide connection between theelevator and an edge of the feeder house opening; and, 5

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the same detail, looking from theharvester side.

The harvester thresher shown comprises a transverse axle Ill carried ina pair of main wheels, one of which is shown at II. In the usual way, 20this axle carries a longitudinal frame 12 having its forward end mountedon a steering wheel truck l3. This frame in the conventional mannercarries a thresher, or separator housing l4 and, in advance thereof, afeeder house l5 having its grainward side open. Each side edge of thisopening carries a vertical T-rail IS.

The grainward end of the thresher axle II] is extended beyond the Wheelll shown to carry a bracket I! to which in turn is connected a bracketI8 that removably connects a harvester axle l9 to the thresher part. Thebracket It includes an arm 20 for mounting a forwardly extending linelever 2| that supports a platform 22 bounded at its front edge by theusual transverse Z-bar 23 and at its rear edge by the angle bar 24.

The bracket l1 carries a post 25 held in place to the thresher at its:upper end by a brace 26. This upper brace structure includes a plate 21for releasably carrying the upper end of a standard 28 having its lowerend carried suitably in the bracket I8. This standard 28 carries abattery of substantially vertically disposed. counterbalance springs 29connected at their lower ends to a flexible element 30 trained under andanchored to a cam 3 I. Said cam 3! is swingably and pivotally carried inupright arms 32 connected in turn to the bracket 2!]. A chain 33 isconnected: to thecam 3| and'to the standard ,23 at 34. Thecounterbalance structure perse forms no part of the present inventionand serves to counterbalance the weight of the platform 22 andassociated parts in the usual way.

The angle bar 24 carries several uprights 35 V for mounting a backboard36.. structure mounted in a frame plate 43 secured to the angle bar 24and backboard 35.

The plate 43, and a similar one at the front,

not shown, carry a roller 44 and pivoted concentrically therewith is anelevator, or spout 45 extending upwardly and normally inclined towardthe feeder house 15, as shown. As shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, each sideof the elevator near its upper end carries a bracket 46 for mounting alongitudinal shaft 41, said shaft at its ends carrying channel guides 48fitting slidably on the T-rails l6 heretofore described. In this'fashionthe discharge end of the elevator moves slidably up and down in the feedhouse opening to discharge the elevated grain into the feeder house l5.

The roller 44 is part of an endless elevator conveyer 49 carried in theelevator 45. An upper conveyer 59 is also mounted in the elevator, itbeing understood that the cut grain received from the platform conveyer4| is elevated upwardly into the'feeder housing between said twoconveyers 49, 50, as is common in this art.

The elevator 45 has connected to it near its upper end a curtain 5|,which is passed over a rod 52 fixed across the feeder house opening nearits bottom, as shown in Figure 2, said curtain having a spring 53connected to its lower end, which spring in turn is deadened at anysuitable point adjacent the lower end of the elevator. The feeder l5 hasthe usual conveyer 54 on its bottom running between troughed sides 55,one of which is shown. As the discharge end of the elevator spout 45raises or lowers on its guide rails 16, the curtain 5| moves with it,the portion of the curtain 5| above the rod serving to. direct thedischarging grain properly into the feed house |5 without wasting orspilling out below the elevator.

The sides of the elevator 45 adjacent their lower edges are formed withan arcuate slot 55 concentric about the pivot of the elevator on theaxis of the roller 44, so that, when the elevator is disconnected fromthe feeder house and folded to the upright dotted line position shown inFigure 2, the sides will fold properly without cramping, as the slots 56pass over the shaft ends of the roller 42.

Connected at 51 to the side of the elevator 45, at a point well abovethe axis of the roller 44, is a rod 58 connected to a flexible element59 trained around a roller 60 and running transversely behind and alongthe angle bar 24. The element 59 is connected to a transverse tensionspring 6|, which is secured to a clip 62, as shown. The spring exerts apull that counterbalances the weight of the elevator 45 and thusrelieves the load thereof on the guide rails I5.

Connected pivotally to the elevator sides at 53 is a transverse rod orlink 54, also pivoted at its other end to a vertical slide gate 55mounted slidably on a transverse guide rail 56 on the plate 43, asshown. The gate has connected to its stubbleward end an extension 55 toinsure at all times closing the space between the lower end of theelevator 45 and the gate 65. As the platform 22 is raised and loweredand the angle space between the pivotally connected platform andelevator changes, this side gate 65, 66 moves transversely to close thesaid angle space to prevent wasting of grain over the back side of theplatform in a manner that will be obvious.

An operators station 61 is located over the feed house l5, as shown,said station including a standard 68. carrying a shaft 69. On said shaft69 is a hand, or tiller, wheel 10 and a pin wheel 1|. Associated withthe wheel H is a guide 12 for holding in. engagement with the wheel H avertical rack bar 13 having spaced holes T4 to mesh with the pin wheel1|. The lower end of this rack bar 13 is slidably carried in a block 15,as shown in Figure 3, said block having a pin 16 extending therefrom,which is pivotally carried in a bracket 11 secured to the rear side ofthe elevator 45. The lower'end of the rack bar is formed as a rod, asshown, which extends some distance below the block l5, said rod at itslower end carrying a nut and washer 18 for seating a cushion spring l9encircling the rod and abutting at its upper end against the block 15.Above the block 15 the rod is encircled by another spring 8:), as shown.The lifting force transmitted from the wheel '15 through the bar 13 foradjusting the harvester platform to change the height of cut is thusapplied directly to the elevator 45.

The use and operation of the parts will be clear, it is thought, in viewof the above detailed description, but, summing up, the operator on hisstation 51 may operate the wheel 1!] to move the rack bar 13 up or down,to adjust the level of the platform, said bar 13 being connecteddirectly to the elevator 45. The springs 19, 85 act as cushions tolessen shock and vibration. The springs 29 counterbalance the weight ofthe harvester part during such adjustment to make this operation easy.As the elevator 45 moves up and down along its guide rails iii, thecurtain 5| runs over the rod 52 to insure always that the grain will beproperly directed into the feeder house l5. At the same time, the spring6| is operative to counterbalance the weight of the elevator 45 and easeits weight on the rails H5. The slide gate structure 65, 65' makescertain that no grain will be spilled between the platform and elevatoras the angle between these two parts varies as described.

When the harvester part comprising the axle I9 and all parts, such asthe platform and elevator, are bodily disconnected from the thresher, 50

as is the common practice when storing or transporting the machine, theelevator may be folded from the full line position shown in Figure 2 tothe upright dotted line position shown. Of course, the guides 48 mustfirst be separated in any desired way from the rails l5, when this isdone. The spring 6| aids in tilting the elevator up into this position.The gate 65, 56 merely slides over, as indicated in the dotted lines inFigure 2, at such time. Any suitable form of stay brace, not shown, maybe provided to hold the elevator in this folded position with respect tothe platform.

It is the intention to cover all changes and modifications of theparticular details of structure herein shown and described, which do notdepart from the scope of the invention as indicated by the definitionsthereof comprising the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a harvester, a body, a harvester adjustably connected theretocomprising a platform and an elevator, and means operable from the bodyand connected to the elevator for adjust-.

ing said harvester.

2. In a harvester, a body, a harvester adjustably connected theretocomprising a platform and an elevator, and means operable from the bodyand connected to the elevator for adjusting said harvester, said meanscomprising a substantially vertical bar connected at its lower end tothe elevator.

3. In a harvester, a body, a harvester adjustably connected theretocomprising a platform and an elevator, and means operable from the bodyand connected to the elevator for adjusting said harvester, said meanscomprising a substantially vertical bar yieldingly connected adjacentits lower end to the elevator.

4. In a harvester, a body, a harvester adjustably connected theretocomprising a platform and an elevator, and means operable from the bodyand connected to the elevator for adjusting said harvester, said meanscomprising a substantially vertical bar pivotally connected adjacent itslower end to the elevator.

5. In a harvester, a body, a harvester adjustably connected theretocomprising a platform and an elevator, and means operable from the bodyand connected to the elevator for adjusting said harvester, said meanscomprising a substantially vertical bar yieldingly and pivotallyconnected at its lower end to the elevator.

6. In a harvester, a body, a harvester adjustably connected theretocomprising a platform and an elevator, an operators station on the body,a vertical rack bar mounted adjacent the station and having its lowerend connected to the elevator for raising and lowering the same with theplatform, and means embodying a tiller wheel to operate the rack bar.

7. A harvester thresher comprising a thresher, a harvester including anelevator and platform associated with the thresher for up and downmovement, means guiding the upper end of the elevator on the thresher,and means connected to the elevator for raising and lowering theharvester.

8. A harvester thresher comprising a thresher having a feeder housing, aharvester including a platform associated with the thresher for up anddown movement, an elevator hingedly connected to the platform, means toguide the discharge end of the elevator on the feed housing, and meansto counterbalance the weight of the elevator on said guide means.

9. A harvester thresher comprising a thresher having a feeder housing, aharvester including a platform associated with the thresher for up anddown movement, an elevator hingedly connected to the platform, means toguide the discharge end of the elevator on the feed housing, andresilient means to counterbalance the weight of the elevator on saidguide means.

10. A harvester thresher comprising a thresher having a feeder housing,a harvester including a platform associated with the thresher for up anddown movement, an elevator hingedly connected to the platform, means toguide the discharge end of the elevator on the feed housing, andflexible means including a spring connected between the elevator andplatform to counterbalance the weight of the elevator on said guidemeans.

11. A harvester comprising a platform, an elevator pivotally connectedat one end thereof and normally extending at an inclination and endwisetherefrom, means whereby said elevator may be folded to a positionsubstantially at a right angle to the platform, and flexible meansincluding a spring connected between the elevator and platform.

12. In a harvester, a platform, an elevator pivotally connected adjacentone end thereof and normally disposed at an angle with respect thereto,a vertical gate slidably mounted adjacent the angle between the elevatorand platform, and means for shifting said gate as the angle between theplatform and elevator changes.

13. In a harvester, a platform, an elevator pivotally connected adjacentone end thereof and normally disposed at an angle with respect thereto,a vertical gate slidably mounted adjacent the angle between the elevatorand platform, and means connected between the gate and elevator forshifting said gate as the angle between the platform and elevatorchanges.

14. In a harvester thresher, a thresher including a feed housing, aharvester including an elevator associated with the thresher for up anddown movement, said feed housing having an opening into which thedischarge end of the elevator projects, a rod mounted across the lowerend of said feed opening, a flexible curtain connected to the upper endof the elevator and trained over said rod, and means connecting theother end of the curtain to a point adjacent the lower end of theelevator.

15. In a harvester thresher, a thresher including a feed housing, aharvester including an elevator associated with the thresher for up anddown movement, said feed housing having an opening into which thedischarge end of the elevator projects, a rod mounted across the lowerend of said feed opening, a flexible curtain connected to the upper endof the elevator and trained over said rod, means connecting the otherend of the curtain to a point adjacent the lower end of the elevator,and means to keep the curtain taut.

16. In a harvester thresher, a thresher including a feeder housing, aharvester including a platform and elevator associated with the thresherfor up and down adjustment, means to counterbalance the weight of theharvester, means to guide the elevator on the feeder housing, saidelevator and platform being pivotally related, and means tocounterbalance the weight of the elevator on said guide means.

17. In a harvester thresher, a thresher including a feeder housing, aharvester including a platform and elevator associated with the thresherfor up and down adjustment, means between the thresher and harvester tocounterbalance the weight of the harvester, means to guide the elevatoron the feeder housing, said elevator and platform being pivotallyrelated, and means connected between the elevator and platform tocounter balance the Weight of the elevator on said guide means.

ALBERT B; WELTY.

